Influence Of Long-Term Contact Lens Wear On Ocular Surface Status And Subjective Symptoms In Patients After Trans-Prk
Published 2026 - 44th Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: POANT017 | Type: Poster | DOI: 10.82333/41jy-2y08
Authors: Mrs Kateryna Yuryivna Hrizhymalska* 1 , Mr Sviatoslav Sandursky 1 , Mrs Olga Andrushkova 2
1Department of Ophthalmology Vinnytsia National Medical University,Vinnytsia,Ukraine, 2Vinnytsia National Medical University,Vinnytsia,Ukraine;Department of Family and Internal Medicine,Vinnytsia,Ukraine
Purpose
To evaluate the impact of soft contact lens (SCL) wear history on the dynamics of objective and subjective indicators of Dry Eye Disease (DED) after transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (Trans-PRK).
Setting
Department of Ophthalmology, Vinnytsia National Medical University, tertiary referral academic center, Ukraine.
Methods
This prospective study included 120 eyes (60 patients) with mild to moderate myopia. Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 (n = 60) – contact lens–naïve patients; Group 2 (n = 60) – long-term SCL users (>2 years). All patients underwent vision correction using the StreamLight (Trans-PRK) technique. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Non-Invasive Tear Break-Up Time (NIBUT), and Schirmer test (ST) were assessed preoperatively and 2 months postoperatively. Statistical analysis included the Mann–Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Spearman’s rank correlation (ρ).
Results
At baseline, Group 2 demonstrated significantly worse ocular surface status: median OSDI was 39.6 versus 27.05 in Group 1 (p = 0.036), and NIBUT was lower (9.68 s vs. 12.33 s; p = 0.0004). Two months after Trans-PRK, tear production (ST) decreased in both groups (p < 0.05). Despite this, subjective symptoms improved significantly. Median OSDI decreased to 14.54 in Group 2 (p < 0.0001) and to 10.40 in Group 1 (p = 0.0001), with no significant intergroup difference (p = 0.61). In Group 1, a direct correlation between ST and NIBUT persisted (ρ = 0.33, p = 0.009). In Group 2, this association was lost postoperatively, while an inverse correlation emerged between ST values and subepithelial haze (ρ = −0.28, p = 0.03).
Conclusions
Long-term SCL wear is associated with reduced tear film stability and greater subjective discomfort preoperatively. Although tear production decreases after Trans-PRK, symptoms improve significantly, particularly in former SCL users. Altered tear film physiology in this group suggests the need for targeted postoperative tear film support.